QSFP (quad small form factor pluggable) is a transceiver form factor that supports high data rates in network communication, presently up to 100 G (gigabits per second), as defined in the EIA SFF-8436 (Electronic Industries Alliance Small Form Factor 8436) and related published standards. Existing versions of QSFP include QSFP, QSFP+ and QSFP28+. OSFP (octal small form factor pluggable) is proposed as another transceiver form factor to support even higher data rates, for example up to 400 G. While QSFP and OSFP have physically different form factors, in some environments such as network data centers, there are configurations and combinations of new and old hardware, which pose compatibility problems. It is hence desirable to connect between the QSFP form factor and the OSFP form factor, supporting upgrade paths in these environments without requiring sudden or widespread obsolescence of equipment. It is within this context that the embodiments arise.